According to two recently published studies, simply walking 30 minutes per day can significantly reduce the risk of recurrence in patients recently diagnosed with colon cancer. "Higher levels of physical activity contributed to a 50% reduced risk of recurrence and mortality when combined with standard therapies," says Jeffrey Meyerhardt from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the lead author of two recently published studies linking exercise to improved colorectal cancer survival.

In the first study, researchers found that patients diagnosed with stage III colon cancer who were physically active (walking 6 or more hours per week) at six months following therapy, had significantly lower rates (50%) of recurrences and death from the disease than inactive patients. In a subsequent study, the same researchers observed 573 women with stage I to III colorectal cancer and determined those patients who increased their physical activity experienced a 50% reduction in mortality. In an editorial which accompanied these studies, Wendy Denmark-Wahnefried from Duke University concluded that "These strong epidemiological studies give consistent data about the benefits of exercise for cancer survivors."